From the early 20th century through the 1940s, Washingtonians
dreamed of a subway comparable to Bostons or Philadelphias.
The first serious proposal for a rapid transit system, in 1959, conceived
of rail transit as a complement to a massive system of highways. But following
the election of 1960, President Kennedy gave government positions to highway
critics who proposed using rail as a substitute for new freeways. They
considered many alternatives, including a route through Georgetown. After
initial defeat in 1963, in 1965 Kennedys appointees persuaded Congress
to approve a modest system that did not threaten highways at all.